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What is Assisted Living? <br />http://www.alfa.org/WhatsAL.htm <br />What is Assisted Living? <br />Assisted Living <br />The new housing and health care alternative combining independence with <br />personal care in a warm, dignified, community setting. <br />What is Assisted Living? <br />The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) defines an Assisted Living <br />residence as a special combination of housing, personalized supportive <br />services and health care designed to meet the needs —both scheduled and <br />unscheduled --of those who need help with activities of daily living. <br />What is the philosophy of Assisted Living? <br />ALFA members subscribe to a 10-point philosophy of care: <br />1. Offering cost-effective quality care that is personalized for individual <br />needs <br />2. Fostering independence for each resident <br />3. Treating each resident with dignity and respect <br />4. Promoting the individuality of each resident <br />5. Allowing each resident choice of care and lifestyle <br />6. Protecting each resident's right to privacy <br />7. Nurturing the spirit of each resident <br />8. Involving family and friends, as appropriate, in care planning and <br />implementation <br />9. Providing a safe, residential environment <br />10. Making the Assisted Living residence a valuable community asset <br />Who lives in Assisted Living residences? <br />• <br />Currently, more than a million Americans live in an estimated"30,000 Assisted <br />Living residences. Assisted Living residents can be young or old, affluent or <br />low income, frail or disabled. Atypical resident is age 83 or older, is female, <br />and is either widowed or single. Residents may suffer from Alzheimer's <br />disease or other memory disorders. Residents may also need help with <br />incontinence or mobility. <br />What does an Assisted Living residence look like? <br />Assisted Living residences can range from a high-rise apartment complex to a <br />converted Victorian home to a renovated school. Residences may be free <br />standing or housed with other residential options, such as independent living <br />or nursing care. They may be operated by non-profit or for -profit companies. <br />Most facilities have between 25 and 120 units. There is no single blueprint, <br />because consumers' preferences and needs vary widely. Units may vary in <br />• <br />1 of 3 07/14/99 12:55:14 <br />